Beyond the horizon, in my mind I am headed to Horizons park. The name has echoed through my head enough the past 72 hours. Beyond the horizon I can see it. One of my favorite places to visit growing up. My family of 10 would fill up dad’s old white station wagon and leave our home in east Winston-Salem and take the short drive over to the sleepy town of Germanton, NC. My parents knew how to fill up the cooler the right way, with chips, sweet snacks, and Capri Suns!
This was the 1980’s, so pulling up to the park we would always see teenagers with big George Michael styled haircuts playing frisbee in the big field bordering the park’s entrance. Young kids playing horseshoes and volleyball dressed in styles that varied from that of the music group New Edition to pop artist Rick Astley. These were great times. My parents would find the perfect picnic table, fire up the grill and start the barbeque. I can remember having my first childhood kiss here. I was 6 years old and it ironically happened at a church picnic; pure innocence, pure bliss.
As the warm summer breeze would rustle the trees, I remember as a kid looking around at the beauty of nature. The true essence of this feeling is captured in the classic song Summer Breeze by Seals and Croft. Even back then, the feelings of euphoria and nostalgia would engulf my very being. My brothers and sisters playing games. My mother asking me to sample delicious food fresh off of the grill. We literally would spend the whole day at the park, heading home at dusk. As the day would come to a close, It was a feeling best described by the lyrics of the song “Golden Time Of Day” by Frankie Beverly and Maze. During the ride home us kids generally would be passed out in the station wagon. When we arrived home after what always seemed like a long ride, my parents would carry me into the house, and I wouldn’t even realize that I was asleep until I woke up the next morning.
Summer Breeze https://g.co/kgs/gnWx6Q
Golden Time of Day https://g.co/kgs/u6xHtL
Growing up, I never realized the profound impact these events would have on my life. My parents didn’t have much so the occasional day trip or ‘Staycation’ meant so much to us kids! Coming from a large, lower income family, we could not afford family vacations growing up however these day trips provided something priceless in my book, great memories. Fast forward 25-30 years and it’s amazing how I try to capture these same feelings with my own family. With more resources and access, I find it ironic that at times it can be more difficult to capture the time capsules of memories like I used to as a kid. Still, we have moments in our family now where I see a resemblance to the days of old and I love it!
The morals of the story are, never underestimate the power of a good staycation. Life is not always about taking large-scale trips around the globe. Money can’t buy happiness. The beauty of the outdoors is irreplaceable. Most importantly, life is worth living. I don’t know what you may be going through right now but I know life can be difficult. Could it be that a short ‘staycation’ is exactly what you need? I challenge you to give it a shot and report back in the comment section of this article how things went. Signing off for now,
V.R.
Stevie Wonder’s “Another Star”– When hearing this beautifully crafted piece of music, I instantly travel back to 2 different era’s of my life. The first is 1996, sitting with my brother Julius in the back room of my parents home talking about life and eating Hot Pockets. When this album played, my brother did not realize the values he was instilling in me that had a long lasting positive effect on my life. He was molding me in several subjects, from how to handle my business as a young man, to how to impress girls when I went to high school the next year. He taught me to be smart and not get caught up in the system, all while Stevie was playing in the background. The second era was 2001. This was my freshman year in college at Winston-Salem State University sitting in the stands watching the Durham N.C. Battle Of The bands. Virginia State University’s marching band marched out to “Another Star” and it sounded amazing! They were a primary rival of my school at that time, but I must admit I loved the way they played this song. I joined the marching band at WSSU the next year, partially to battle VSU because of this event.
James Taylor’s “Shower The People”– When hearing this song, I instantly think of my father and warp back to my childhood. The year was 1988. I was 5 years old at the time. I remember that being the year my parents had a sun room completed in our home. I remember my dad playing this beautiful song on his guitar and the whole family would sit and listen. Then we would go outside right after and play. My dad would continue to play and sing, while me and my 8 year old sister Tomeka made mud pies. I was young, but I remember the message of this song because it was full of emotion. The lyrics were so powerful back then and now. In the second verse of the song, James passionately sang, “You can run but you cannot hide, this is widely known, what do you plan to do with your foolish pride, when you’re all by yourself alone? Better to shower the people you love with love.” -Classic
Nas’s “The World Is Yours”, leading track on his classic album “Illmatic“- Ah spring 1994, I will never forget. I was almost 11 years old and definitely not supposed to be listening to hip-hop music, but tell that to my 5 older brothers! I take this time machine back to that spring, walking with my older brother’s Westly and Julius to Greg’s house, their best friend. I distinctly remember playing Sonic The Hedgehog 2 and Mortal Kombat on his Sega Genesis, when I heard the piano cords at the beginning of this song before Nas started rapping. I turned the TV down to hear what the rapper was saying. Even at my young age, I was taken away by his words and descriptions of the living conditions in the infamous “Queensbridge” Project Homes of Queens, New York. The lyrics that rapper Nas stated on the second verse were incredible to me. He stated, “They aiming guns at all my baby pictures/beef with housing police, release scriptures that’s maybe Hitler’s/ Yet I’m the mild, money-getting style, rolling foul/ The versatile, honey-sticking wild golden child/ Dwelling in the Rotten Apple, you get tackled.” Nas had incredible talent, because he has the ability to make you feel what he saw everyday. That is what great artists do, in my opinion.
